Soundodger 2 News

Greetings Dodgers!

It has been a busy couple of months, but I'm proud to finally be able to bring the first music update for Soundodger 2. We've doubled both the amount of songs as well as levels, so rest assured there's a lot to dodge here. A new bullet called ripple is being introduced, a new bloom effect is ready to blind you (hopefully not), and a slew of fun additions and fixes have found their way into the editor.

Here are your new musicians this round:

• Graham Kartna - chiltonWALK.temp
  
• Popskyy - Can't Dodge My Love!
  
• Sferro - Modular Origami (feat. Mecha Maiko)
  
• Julie Buchanan - Talk About It
  
• (I'm the 5th musician, hi) - Sophomore Slump
  

There's lots more listed below in the full changelog, so have at it!

Happy Dodging,
Bean

Changelog v0.2.0

Game

• Added ripple bullet
  
• Added bloom event (bring sunglasses)
  
• Added mouse pause (hold left and right mouse buttons for .5 sec)
  
• Changed spin event to allow for more consistent playback across PCs
  
• Changed "appear" enemies to not reveal themselves during the level intro
  
• Changed laser warmups to prevent being cleared
  
• Changed how cursor squash-n-stretch is displayed to reduce jitter for some players
  
• Changed clipping plane of BG for certain levels to prevent going through geometry
  
• Changed beam flare to not pulsate during streams
  
• Changed stream flares to stay constant while additional bullets are fired
  
• Changed stream flares instantly changing colors if an old stream finishes while a newer one continues
  
• Fixed "appear" enemies resizing during streams
  
• Fixed bigHug lifespans not scaling correctly with a modded gameplay speed
  
• Fixed lasers emitting particles when particle FX are off
  
• Fixed clones not being able to interact with bigHugs correctly
  
• Fixed z-fighting issue with enemies while they shoot
  
• Fixed zen mod deducting points for missed hugs
  

Editor

• Added toggles to make an event anchor smooth its input and output interpolations
  
• Added Reset ArenaAngle extra (next to Clear on toolbar)
  
• Added toggle for Clears to make them super, erasing bullets otherwise impervious to clears
  
• Added "!" to tab buttons to indicate it contains hidden layers
  
• Added red circle to arena if an unhugged hug/bigHug leaves the arena (naturally or via clear)
  
• Added [tab] as alternative shortcut for toggling grid snap
  
• Added [0] to quickly reset selected event anchors to their default value
  
• Added visibility toggling for events tab (invisible means they are at default value)
  
• Added ability to click on a slider bar to update the value without dragging
  
• Added animated events during main game intro (make sure first event time matches the start time of the level)
  
• Changed disobeying OOB bullets to despawn after traveling 1 screen distance away
  
• Changed center enemy to spin with arena by default (aiming at enemy 1). Use world aim for uh... world aim.
  
• Changed stream rate to hold 3 decimal places (from 2)
  
• Changed event anchors to display concise values when highlighted
  
• Changed particle count for laser removal (halved)
  
• Changed event anchor value to not be clickable
  
• Fixed burst/stream patterns that used to be multirowed still shooting multiple rows
  
• Fixed bigHug duration being affected by time events
  
• Fixed lasers disappearing during negative time events
  
• Fixed adding a bullet in a prefab not selecting it
  
• Fixed adding a bullet in a prefab not using copied deck info
  
• Fixed changing a bullet type to laser in a prefab not setting the pattern to stream
  
• Fixed events not resetting when you delete all of their anchors
  
• Fixed pasted bullets sometimes appearing on the wrong layer
  
• Fixed new levels including "+" in their folder name
  
• Fixed glitch related to selecting event anchors and deselecting the earliest one to reset all selected anchors' values
  
• Fixed softlock when unplugging a controller or pausing with controller
  
• Fixed legacy issue for bullets with "NaN" speed
  
• Fixed very large/small player size saving to default values
  
• Fixed negative player size displaying squash-n-stretch incorrectly
  
• Fixed out of order events displaying correctly upon level load
  
• Fixed default active enemy for a new bullet to match the earliest-present enemy (whether it's center, or an enemy past 1 because of hidden ones)
  
• Fixed working name not updating if changed before exiting settings from color edit
  
• Fixed enemy 1 cone appearing when loading a level and opening/closing settings
  
• Fixed typos
  

Misc

• Added lower resolution options
  
• Changed ShinShinjuku difficulty label to expert (from advanced)
  
• Changed legacy levels to stream bullets more accurately
  
• Changed "delete these scores" to also delete a project's unlocked status
  
• Fixed mod window gameplay speed skipping past 200% when scrolling to the right
  
• Fixed mod active status not being saved if toggled through right-click shortcut
  
• Fixed [delete] not working to remove a folder from the root of User Levels
  
• Fixed blurry lock icon in Level Select
  

Greetings Fellow Dodge Friends!

We've got lots of exciting new features dropping in this update, from gameplay mods to editor features you've been asking for since before the game launched (evenly distribute, anyone?). To answer your first question: No, the music update will be coming next. This one is all about quality of life updates, as well as features you didn't even know you wanted, like being able to edit a level directly from the Level Select screen. Wow!

Here's a video going over the major changes and additions, but continue reading on for the full list!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvTdv-a8p2I

Happy Dodging,
-Bean

Gameplay

• Added notification window to bottom of screen (shows errors, successful cheat codes, new highscores, etc)
  
• Added Mods to Level Select. When active, progress won't be saved, so have fun!
  
• Added Can't Save icon to inform when scores won't be saved (either from active mods or cheat codes being used)
  
• Changed getting hit with a heart to not affect overall dodge% (but still loses the "untouched" bonus)
  
• Fixed proper color inversion on legacy level colors
  
• Fixed disobey-time streams only during 1 bullet when timewarp is 0
  
• Fixed disobey-clear lasers not disobeying
  
• Fixed controller still working when application loses focus
  
• Fixed player staying in center of screen if they don't move during a challenge that shouldn't allow them there
  
• Changed hugs and bigHugs to maintain their thickness as they become larger
  

Editor

• Added Enemy and Flare options (center enemy, excluded enemies, animation type, flare type, flare fit, etc)
  
• Added import option for Soundodger+ levels (settings > gameplay > import)
  
• Added Stars bg
  
• Added Timebar to editor
  
• Added start/end and fade markers to Timebar for custom level lengths
  
• Added Preview bar to Timebar for choosing preview point of song during Level Select
  
• Added Bookmarks (button in toolbar, or ctrl+X)
  
• Added Ctrl+D to distribute selected objects evenly (button is also there when >2 objects selected)
  
• Added error message when a bad mp3 is used
  
• Added error message when trying to load a Soundodger+ level from the welcome screen
  
• Added left/right keys for stepping through markers as an alternative to </>
  
• Added ability to deselect markers by clicking the background of the editor
  
• Added Fullscreen button to bottom left of game preview window
  
• Added new shortcuts to info box in top right (new stuff highlighted in blue)
  
• Changed Wrap mode to be a toggle that can be applied to different kinds of movement challenges
  
• Moved Level Creator and Level Notes to be in Level section instead of Project section
  
• Fixed dragged objects moving oddly when dragged leftward off timeline
  
• Fixed bullet order sometimes being wrong in XML
  
• Fixed permanent white background when loading a level after having played a legacy user level
  
• Fixed bullet markers not being deselected when changing to another tab
  
• Fixed Copy button being lit when nothing is selected
  
• Fixed error from invalid numbers in the marker deck
  
• Fixed background not loading properly when loading a level with echo bg
  
• Fixed Event marker tool buttons being visible when loading a level
  

Level Select

• Added right-click menu for level tickets, folders, and individual levels to open file/folder in Windows, delete score(s), and open file in Editor
  
• Fixed proper color inversion on legacy level tickets
  
• Fixed memory leak when previewing lots of levels in the same folder
  
• Fixed inconsistent loading of legacy audio previews
  
• Fixed softlock when loading a folder that starts with "[]" but is not a project
  
• Misc optimization for displaying unlocked levels
  

Misc

• Added audio mute when losing focus during splash screen
  

Another week, another patch! I've been slowly working through all of the major issues brought up by players since launch, including some features that didn't quite make it in time. The game is getting pretty stable by now, so the next update will start to introduce new features (yay!). Thanks again for all your input in the feedback form and on Discord.

Happy Dodging,
-Bean

Gameplay

• Changed wrap movement mode to be more consistent; added visual guide when close to the edge
  
• Changed big hugs to take the same amount of time to fill when inside the Slow Mo ring
  
• Fixed gravity affecting bullets differently based on player's framerate
  
• Fixed rare occurrence where player would never cool down after getting hit
  
• Fixed rare legacy issue that didn't load a bullet called "nrm3"
  
• Fixed shield powerup removing lasers if their roots touched it
  
• Fixed bursts of amount 1 or 2 not being random
  
• Fixed homing bullets still emitting particles when particle fx is off
  

Editor

• Changed pasted objects to be selected upon pasting
  
• Reduced effect when getting hit to only turn the touched bullet red
  
• Fixed lasers not appearing
  
• Fixed color palettes loading incorrectly
  
• Fixed exploit to display more than 4 colors for a bullet
  
• Fixed levels not loading if an xml number value was not a number
  
• Fixed ability to open multiple options menus
  
• Fixed pasted anchors not preserving decimal values
  
• Fixed enemy flares not disappearing when scrubbing through timeline
  
• Fixed powerup being activated within Editor
  
• Moved Twist event to be higher in list next to other movement-affecting effects
  

Options

• Added option to show player hitbox (Options > gameplay > show hitbox)
  
• Changed Camera FX to a toggle and moved to gameplay section
  

Misc

• Audio is now muted in menus when application loses focus
  

Well, it's certainly been a day! I've been watching videos, reading discord, and combing through the feedback form since launch, and I must say you're all very good at breaking things lol.

Anyway, a few major things have been corrected, and lots of little tweaks have been added to hopefully make your experience a little less... dodgy? Have fun!

Main Game

• - Fixed softlock when pausing between final bullets firing and Results screen appearing
  
• - Fixed Results screen softlock when pressing CTRL before highlighting a button
  
• - Fixed game staying locked at 30FPS when exiting a legacy exploit level mid-game
  
• - Fixed level never ending if level contained disobeying OOB bullets
  
• - Added ability to press ESC / controller B to go back to Level Select from Results screen
  

Editor

• - Fixed regional issues with decimal values. If this affected you, you will either need to manually correct your XML & header files or start over. Sorry!
  
• - Fixed folder corruption when creating a project whose artist/title contain illegal characters
  
• - Fixed visual glitch when going directly from within an edited prefab to the Events tab
  
• - Fixed Event line graph disappearing when multiple markers were on the same spot
  
• - Fixed Marker Deck values resetting when changing Aim type
  
• - Added keyboard zoom via up/down keys
  
• - Added Reset Value button when selecting Event markers (on toolbar next to Reverse Values)
  
• - Changed button colors at Welcome screen
  

Level Select

• - Changed folder text display at main screen and everywhere else
  
• - Added special icon for back button
  

Studio Bean Intro

• - Changed volume from 100% to 60%
  
• - Added animation skip when player clicks or presses any key
  

Misc

• - Removed keyboard control for sliders in menus
  

Soundodger 2 is now available! It's been a long time coming, and there's still plenty more work to be done, but please enjoy the game, have fun, and go get dodging!

Many frequently-asked questions can be found here, and will continue to be updated as the game continues in development.

Most importantly, if you find a bug or have a feature to request, there's a handy form right here.

The Discord server is likely poppin off right now, so that's a good place to meet other dodgers and level creators (and me, too!)

That's it. Go dodge!

Happy Dodging,
-Bean